Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 180: To ask the Taoiseach the number of persons who were termed as long-term unemployed in counties Roscommon and Leitrim in each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6594/06]

Tom Kitt (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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The exact information as requested by the Deputy is not available. Statistics on employment and unemployment are compiled from the quarterly national household survey. Sub-regional statistics of the kind requested by the Deputy are not available from the survey.

The live register, age by duration series, gives a bi-annual breakdown of the number of people claiming unemployment assistance, unemployment benefit and other claimants registered with the Department of Social and Family Affairs and is classified by duration on the register. Figures are available for each county and each local office. The most recent information available is for October 2005.

It should be noted that the live register is not a definitive measure of unemployment as it includes part-time workers, seasonal and casual workers entitled to unemployment assistance or benefit. Statistics on unemployment are measured at regional level by the quarterly national household survey.

Furthermore, the exact area covered by each local office is not limited to the immediate locality of the particular office. For instance, there may be persons from the Blessington area registered in the Tallaght local office.

The live register, age by duration figures for counties Leitrim and Roscommon for the period 2001 to 2005, inclusive, as requested by the Deputy are set out in the following tables.